Update on 2/10/13: None of the Santa Ana City Council Members showed up to the Tet Parade nor did I see any of the gay activists.

The controversy that has brewed all week will continue at the Tet Parade scheduled for this Sunday, February 10, at 9 am, at the intersection of Bolsa and Magnolia.

They gay activists who were told by the parade organizers that they could not participate in the parade sued the organizers but a Judge found against them this week.

In the wake of that court decision a number of local elected officials have declared that they will be boycotting the parade. This is by the way a parade that almost didn’t happen, as the City of Westminster is broke and couldn’t pay for it. Volunteers worked very hard to raise the money to hold the traditional Lunar New Year parade, in Little Saigon. Continue reading→

The race to see who will replace Frank Barbaro as the new Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) is down to two candidates – longtime activist Jeff LeTourneau and paid consultant Henry Vandermeir.

The DPOC is at a crossroads – Orange County is less red than ever. The Democrats picked up another legislative seat this November when Sharon Quirk-Silva won in the 65th Assembly District, with capable help from Vandermeir’s wife Lois, who is also a paid consultant.

There is nothing wrong with being a paid political consultant. I do some of that work too. But should paid consultants be heading up political party organizations? I don’t think so. Continue reading→